The Osceola County Board of Supervisors on June 24 approved an intercounty agreement to retain Abby Wallin as the county’s mental‑health advocate as Iowa changes how mental‑health services are administered.

Wallin, who said she has “been the mental health advocate for Osceola County for almost 10 years,” told supervisors that the state’s mental‑health and disability service regions are being replaced by district models using an administrative service organization (ASO) and a disability assistance program (DAP). She said counties remain required to appoint an advocate and that her employer of record is O’Brien County.

The agreement formalizes a shared service arrangement in which O’Brien County will bill the ASO for Wallin’s services and, if needed, front her salary for a short period. “O’Brien County does have enough money built into our budget to front my salary for 3 months,” Wallin said, adding that counties could budget small amounts to cover timing gaps if they choose. She also said the ASO will use the Your Life Iowa system to dispatch local navigators, but local contacts will remain available.

Supervisors asked how billing and reimbursement would work once the ASO takes over. Wallin said state guidance from HHS and the Iowa Primary Care Association had not been finalized as of the meeting date and that O’Brien County agreed to bill on behalf of participating counties to simplify accounting. She said that under the proposed arrangement the cost should not ultimately come out of each county’s coffers because the ASO is expected to reimburse O’Brien County, though O’Brien may need to front funds temporarily.

Commissioner Jerry Helmers moved to approve the agreement; the motion was supported by Mike Schulte and carried on a voice vote. The board asked Wallin to provide contact information for clerks and magistrates and to remain the local point of contact during the transition.

Why this matters: county advocates act as court‑appointed liaisons for people subject to involuntary commitment orders; changes in statewide administration and billing could affect how small counties secure and fund those services.

What supervisors noted: Wallin said Osceola’s caseload is light — “I think right now, maybe I only have 1 case here” — but that individual cases can be significant and require coordination with judges, attorneys and providers. The board and Wallin agreed that sharing services across counties is more practical than hiring a local full‑time advocate for a small caseload.

The agreement was approved without amendment.